His team isn't winning games, but San Franciso's second-year quarterback Jeff Garcia is putting up numbers that only Kurt Warner can turn up his nose at.
Garcia's four-touchdown performance in San Francisco's three-point loss at Green Bay gives him a league-leading 19 touchdown passes this season and puts him on a pace to throw 43 for the season.
Warner, by comparison, is on pace for 45 scoring passes this season after tossing 41 last year. And despite throwing for a season-low 313 yards Sunday, Warner is still on pace for 6,026 yards, which would beat Dan Marino's 1984 record of 5,018.
Warner is throwing for 120 yards per game more than Garcia, but Garcia's 2.71 touchdowns per game are comparable to Warner's 2.83 and Garcia's .57 interceptions per game are considerably better than Warner's 1.33.
So while Warner gets the headlines for leading the Rams on a quest for perfection, Garcia continues to quietly pile up incredible numbers on a team that is going nowhere.
| Week 7 NFL Recap |
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| Rams 45 (6-0), Falcons 29 (2-5) |
Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
509.3: Rams' average total offense per game after torching the Falcons for 529 yards, putting them on pace for 8,149 yards this season. |
| Player of the Game |
| Marshall Faulk, RB, St. Louis: League's most versatile player ran 25 times for 208 yards and a touchdown and caught seven passes for 78 yards. |
| CNNSI.com's Breakdown |
| It didn't follow the normal script for a Rams game, but non-traditional wins count the same. After trailing 14-7 at the end of the first quarter, St. Louis outscored Atlanta 30-7 in the 2nd and 3rd quarters to pull away from the upset-minded Falcons. Atlanta has now held red-hot Rams quarterback Kurt Warner to his two lowest passing totals of the season, but his 313 yards and three touchdowns were more than enough on a day when Faulk was running wild in the Falcons' secondary. St. Louis outgained Atlanta 529-259, and finished with 29 first downs. The Rams showed the rust of their bye week, committing 11 penalties for 96 yards and looking generally sloppy in the early going before kicking it into gear with 22 second-quarter points. |
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| Saints 24 (3-3), Panthers 6 (2-4) |
| Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
205: Yards by which the Saints (47 carries for 215 yards) outrushed the Panthers (12 carries for 10 yards). |
| Player of the Game |
| Ricky Williams, RB, New Orleans: Carried 38 times for 144 yards and two touchdowns and added three catches for 35 yards, as well as completing one pass for 34 yards. |
CNNSI.com's Breakdown |
| Williams became the first Saints running back to top the 100-yard rushing plateau in four consecutive games. After running for more than 100 yards only twice in his rookie season and finished with only 884 yards, Williams is on pace for 1,642 yards this season. New Orleans' league-leading defense stopped Carolina cold, allowing only eight first downs and 141 total yards. The Saints had eight sacks, giving them 27 this season. |
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| Raiders 20 (5-1), Chiefs 17 (3-3) |
| Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
61.5: Field-goal percentage for Raiders rookie kicker Sebastian Janikowski after hitting 2 of 4 attempts Sunday against the Chiefs. |
| Player of the Game |
| Sebastian Janikowski, K, Oakland: Hit field goals of 43 and 47 yards -- including the game-winner with 25 seconds left -- his first two field goals of more than 40 yards in his rookie season. |
| CNNSI.com's Breakdown |
| Oakland looks like a serious contender for home-field advantage in the AFC after beating its archrivals for the second consecutive season at Arrowhead. The Raiders outrushed the Chiefs 161-58, and held the ball for more than 34 minutes. Former Chiefs quarterback Rich Gannon completed 28-of-33 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns and added 38 yards rushing on eight attempts. Raiders cornerback Charles Woodson played offense for the first time this season, catching one pass for 8 yards in the first quarter, and recording five total tackles and a fumble recovery on defense. |
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| Redskins 10 (5-2), Ravens 3 (5-2) |
| Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
11.4: Average points allowed in the Redskins' five wins, compared to 21 in their two losses. |
| Player of the Game |
| Stephen Davis, RB, Washington: Ran for 91 yards and the game's only touchdown on 21 carries. |
| CNNSI.com's Breakdown |
| Don't expect to see this game on Classic Sports anytime soon. The Ravens and Redskins combined for only 445 yards and 30 first downs, or about what the Rams get on their own each Sunday. The Ravens struggled to get any offensive production for the third consecutive week. Ravens kicker Matt Stover has scored all 30 points for Baltimore in the past three games, and leads the team with 66 points this season, with the rest of the team combining for only 60. |
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| Giants 19 (5-2), Cowboys 14 (2-4) |
| Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
217: Average rushing yards allowed in the Cowboys' four losses. |
| Player of the Game |
| Ron Dayne, RB, New York: Ran for a career-high 108 yards and one touchdown on 21 carries. |
| CNNSI.com's Breakdown |
| The Giants moved to a surprising 5-2, but maybe it shouldn't be all that shocking considering how well they have run the football. New York ran for more than 167 yards for the fourth time this season, and is averaging 173.8 rushing yards in its five wins. Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman helped the Giants' cause with one of the most miserable games of his career, completing only 22-of-42 passes for 211 yards and one touchdown and a career-high five interceptions. In four starts this season, Aikman has completed only 54.2 percent of his passes and has thrown nine interceptions and only one touchdown. |
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| Bills 27 (3-3), Chargers 24 (0-7) OT |
| Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
40: Combined number of penalties (22), sacks (eight), fumbles (seven) and interceptions (three) in this sloppily-played game. |
| Player of the Game |
| Eric Moulds, WR, Buffalo: Caught 11 passes for 170 yards. |
| CNNSI.com's Breakdown |
| Buffalo avoided its first four-game losing skid in 15 years by holding off the winless Chargers. San Diego almost pulled the huge upset, and would've had a chance to win it if not for a Jerry Ostroski false start. Bills kicker Steve Christie missed a 41-yard attempt in overtime, but Ostroski moved early and the officials backed the Bills up five yards and Christie then hit the game-winner from 46 yards. Bills starting quarterback Rob Johnson threw for 321 yards before leaving with a separated shoulder, and Doug Flutie came off the bench to complete 2-of-3 passes on the winning drive. |
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| Steelers 15 (3-3), Bengals 0 (0-6) |
| Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
44.9: Bengals' completion percentage after Akili Smith and Scott Mitchell combined to hit only 14-of-36 (38.9 percent) attempts Sunday. |
| Player of the Game |
| Joey Porter, LB, Pittsburgh: Second-year linebacker made six total tackles and had three of the Steelers' four sacks. |
| CNNSI.com's Breakdown |
| Pity the woeful Bengals. After being shut out for the third time this season, Cincinnati has scored only 37 points in six games, a miserable average of 6.2 points per game. Second-year Bengals quarterback Akili Smith was bad -- completing only 10 of 20 for 97 yards -- but Scott Mitchell was worse after replacing Smith, hitting on 4-of-16 passes for 39 yards and two interceptions. Steelers running back Jerome Bettis ran for his third 100-yard game of the season, carrying 29 times for 101 yards, putting him on pace for 1,394 yards. |
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| Colts 37 (4-2) Seahawks 24 (2-5) |
| Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
36:09: Time of possession for the Colts, who ran 70 offensive plays compared to 54 for the Seahawks. |
| Player of the Game |
| Edgerrin James, RB, Indianapolis: Ran for a career-high 219 yards and three touchdowns on 38 carries. |
| CNNSI.com's Breakdown |
| James' career day overshadowed an excellent game from Seahawks quarterback Brock Huard, who completed 19-of-26 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns. The Colts sacked Huard six times, with rookie defensive tackle Josh Williams leading the way with 1 1/2. Colts quarterback Peyton Manning completed 20-of-30 passes for 281 yards and one touchdown and wide receiver Marvin Harrison caught seven passes for 134 yards. |
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| Eagles 33 (4-3), Cardinals 14 (2-4) |
| Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
39:34: Time of possession for the Eagles, who had 76 offensive plays compared 45 for the Cardinals. |
| Player of the Game |
| Darnell Autry, RB, Philadelphia: One-time thespian acted like a starting running back, gaining 64 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries and catching three passes for 28 yards. |
| CNNSI.com's Breakdown |
| Cardinals quarterback Jake Plummer tried to work his comeback magic against the Eagles, but after falling behind 24-0, the Cardinals were in too big of a hole to have much hope. Rapidly improving Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb completed 24 of 34 for 226 yards and a touchdown, and scrambled seven times for 35 yards. Philadelphia converted 10-of-18 third-down chances, while Arizona was successful on only 2-of-7. The win by the Eagles pushed them into the upper half of the NFC East, in excellent position to make a run at a playoff berth along with division rivals Washington and New York. |
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| Broncos 44 (4-3), Browns 10 (2-5) |
| Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
2: Sacks by Broncos defensive tackle Trevor Pryce giving him eight on the season and putting him on pace for 18, which would shatter his career-high of 13 set last season. |
| Player of the Game |
| Brian Griese, QB, Denver: Completed 27-of-40 for 235 yards and three touchdowns. |
| CNNSI.com's Breakdown |
| After a sluggish first quarter, Denver righted the ship and cruised home for an easy 34-point blowout win. The Browns were outscored 41-7 in the final three quarters, outgaining the Browns 499-278 overall, 353-240 in passing yards and 146-38 in rushing yards. Rookie running back Mike Anderson gained more than 100 yards for the first time since Week 2, rushing for 103 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. Broncos quarterback Brian Griese completed 19-of-34 passes for 336 yards and three touchdowns and is now on pace for 4,300 yards despite missing a game. Denver rolled up 24 first downs while holding Cleveland to 12. Get the picture? Yeah, it wasn't pretty. |
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| Packers 31 (3-4), 49ers 28 (2-5) |
| Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
74.1: Season-high completion percentage (on 20-of-27 passing) for Packers quarterback Brett Favre, who was completing 58.9 percent of his passes through the first six games. |
| Player of the Game |
| Antonio Freeman, WR, Green Bay: Caught six passes for a season-high 116 yards and a touchdown. |
| CNNSI.com's Breakdown |
| Much was missing from the epic playoff battles between these two teams -- namely 49ers quarterback Steve Young, Packers head coach Mike Holmgren and Packers defensive end Reggie White -- but the atmosphere at Lambeau Field on Sunday was playoff-like, at least as much as it can be for a couple of 2-4 teams. The offenses combined for 792 yards, 45 first downs and no turnovers in the game. The only semblance of sloppy play was the nine penalties for 65 yards that the Packers were flagged for. 49ers quarterback Jeff Garcia threw for 336 yards and four touchdowns in a losing effort. Packers running backs Dorsey Levens and Ahman Green combined for 97 yards and three rushing touchdowns on 28 carries.
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| Jets 34 (5-1), Patriots 17 (2-5) |
| Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
37:54: Time of possession for the Jets, who outrushed the Patriots 164-51. |
| Player of the Game |
| Curtis Martin, RB, New York: Ran for a season-high 143 yards and three touchdowns on 34 carries. |
| CNNSI.com's Breakdown |
| This game didn't have nearly the same level of excitement as the Jets' 20-19 Week 2 win at Giants Stadium. The Jets controlled the clock by running with Martin often in the first three quarters. Martin had 81 yards by halftime and steadily wore down New England's defense. Drew Bledsoe struggled again after consecutive strong outings, throwing three interceptions and completing only 45.7 percent of his passes. The Jets sacked Bledsoe seven times, with rookies John Abraham and Shaun Ellis combining for three of the seven sacks. Abraham now has 4 1/2 sacks and Ellis four sacks, giving the Jets some tangible early returns from their 2000 NFL Draft. |
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| Vikings 28 (6-0), Bears 16 (1-6) |
| Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
115: Career touchdown catches by Vikings wide receiver Cris Carter after grabbing his first of the season against the Bears. |
| Player of the Game |
| Robert Smith, RB, Minnesota: Carried 23 times for 170 yards and one touchdown. |
| CNNSI.com's Breakdown |
| Minnesota joined St. Louis at 6-0 with the win. Starting off with six wins in a row is a good omen, as only the 1988 Redskins missed the playoffs after winning their first six games. But the game didn't get off to a rousing start for the Vikings, as the Bears jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the second quarter. Minnesota rallied for two touchdowns in a 3 minute, 9 second span of the second quarter to take a 14-9 lead in to halftime. In the second half the Vikings' superiority at the skill positions dominated, with Randy Moss and Matthew Hatchette catching touchdowns, and Robert Smith churning out some tough yards on the ground en route to breaking the team's career rushing record. |
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| Titans 27 (5-1), Jaguars 13 (2-5) |
| Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
90.5: Titans' winning percentage (19-2) in their past 21 games against AFC Central opponents. |
| Player of the Game |
| Eddie George, RB, Tennessee: Ran 30 times for 165 yards and a touchdown, giving him 471 yards and three touchdowns in the past three games. |
| CNNSI.com's Breakdown |
| The Titans have been playing a sweet tune for their fans in Music City since moving into Adelphia Colisuem at the beginning of the 1999 season. Tennessee's devastation of Jacksonville was its 11th consecutive win at home (12th if you count the Music City Miracle playoff game), adding to its own record for most wins in a row to open a new stadium. Steve McNair played another very efficient game, completing 13-of-21 passes for 234 yards and two touchdowns. The Titans' defense was impressive as well, sacking Mark Brunell five times and holding the Jags to only 13 first downs. |
